Philippines

Veejay Villafranca/Bloomberg News

News about Philippines, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Jul. 19, 2015

Andal Ampatuan Sr, head of clan in Philippines province of Maguindanao who in 2009 organized massacre of 58 people associated with his political rival, dies of heart attack at age 74; Ampatuan was on trial for atrocities at time of his death. MORE

Jul. 17, 2015

Editorial supports Philippines in its decision to bring case before Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, against China, over territorial dispute regarding South China Sea; urges China to participate in tribunal process as it would reaffirm its status as leader in world and its commitment to resolve such disputes within framework of international law. MORE

Jul. 15, 2015

Complaints were raised after the Internet giant dropped Scarborough Shoal, a longstanding name taken from a ship that smashed against it in 1784, and described the island as part of China’s Zhongsha chain. MORE

Jul. 5, 2015

Police in Ormoc City, Philippines, file murder charges against Joge Bung Zarco, owner of ferry that capsized, killing at least 59 people, and against other crew members. MORE

Jul. 3, 2015

Jun. 17, 2015

Philippine rebels Moro Islamic Liberation Front make symbolic handover of 75 weapons to government and registration of 145 members as part of tentative peace agreement formed under 2012 pact. MORE

May. 15, 2015

Death toll in Philippines industrial fire rises to 72, with 10 workers still missing. MORE

May. 14, 2015

Fire in Philippines guts factory near Manila, and authorities report that dozens of workers may have been killed; 65 people are missing. MORE

May. 5, 2015

Master Filipino bomb-maker Abdul Basit Usman, who had declared loyalty to Islamic State, is killed in gun battle; it is unclear wheter $1 million bounty offered by United States was factor in his death. MORE

Apr. 30, 2015

Mary Jane Veloso, Philippine woman convicted of smuggling drugs into Indonesia in 2010, is rescued moments before execution after plea from Philippine government; eight other prisoners from various countries are executed for drug trafficking, drawing international outcry; execution is part of Indonesian Pres Joko Widodo's crackdown on drugs. MORE

Apr. 15, 2015

Philippines' military reports Ameril Umbra Kato, leader of small splinter group of Muslim rebels, had died of natural causes. MORE

Apr. 14, 2015

Philippine officials say 300 acres of coral reef have been destroyed by China's island-building activities in South China Sea, endangering area's ecology as well as livelihood of many people in surrounding areas. MORE

Apr. 9, 2015

Satellite photographs show China has been literally gaining ground in South China Sea by building land mass from dredged white sand piled atop coral reef; at least three other countries, including American ally Philippines, claim ownership of archipelago, and China's aggressive move to build artificial islands within Philippines territory draws criticism from United States officials. MORE

Apr. 3, 2015

Federal Bureau of Investigation confirm that Zulkifli bin Hir, Malaysian bomb-maker, was killed in botched police raid in Philippines on Jan 25. MORE

Mar. 24, 2015

Murder trial of Pfc Joseph Scott Pemberton, accused of killing Filipino Jennifer Laude, begins in Olongapo city, Philippines; marine from New Bedford, Mass, is charged with strangling and drowning Laude after meeting her in a red-light district bar, taking her to a hotel, and discovering she was a transgender woman. MORE

Mar. 14, 2015

Report by Philippines' government panel finds fault at every level of chain of command for deaths of 44 police officers in botched raid targeting Zulkifli bin Hir, a Malaysian citizen and member of the Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist network. MORE

Mar. 11, 2015

Philippine officials report that military is battling Islamic militants in south, with recent fighting killing dozens and displacing more than 82,000 people from their homes; lawmakers are debating bill that would formalize peace deal reached year ago with Moro Islamic Liberation Front, country's largest rebel group. MORE

Feb. 7, 2015

Jan. 29, 2015

Philippines' Pres Benigno S Aquino III says he did not authorize counterterrorism raid on island of Mindanao that resulted in deaths of 44 police officers; officers were killed by members of rebel group the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, who claim they had not been told of raid and were acting in self defense. MORE

Jan. 26, 2015

Clash in southern Philippines between police forces and Muslim insurgents leaves more than 30 commandos dead. MORE

Jan. 19, 2015

Six million people in the Philippines turn out to see Pope Francis as he celebrates Sunday Mass in its capital Manila, part of his five-day visit to country. MORE

Jan. 16, 2015

Pope Francis makes first papal visit in 20 years to Philippines and is greeted by cheering throngs in deeply Catholic country where church is grappling with social change and its decline in political power. MORE

Jan. 13, 2015

Vatican says Pope Francis will visit Sri Lanka and Philippines in his second trip to Asia in six months; Francis hopes to convey message of reconciliation and peace in Sri Lanka, which has endured decades-long civil war, and commiserate with loss suffered by people in Philippines due to 2013 typhoon; focus on Asia highlights how Roman Catholic Church has shifted attention away from Europe in last decade. MORE

Jan. 2, 2015

Large fire in Philippine capital of Manila destroys almost one thousand shanties and kills three people; fire is believed to have been caused by firecrackers and is one of more than dozen fires in country connected to New Year's celebrations. MORE

Dec. 16, 2014

Philippine prosecutors recommend that United States Marine Pfc Joseph Scott Pemberton be charged with murder in connection with death of Jennifer Laude, Filipino transgender woman. MORE

Dec. 9, 2014

Philippine government arrives at United Nations climate change summit meeting in Peru to push hard for new international deal requiring all nations to cut their use of fossil fuels as Typhoon Hagupit drives millions of Filipinos from their homes; nation is using fact that it is one of most vulnerable to impacts of climate change to help advance global negotiations. MORE

Dec. 8, 2014

Residents of eastern Philippines express relief that they joined hundreds of thousands who evacuated to safer ground in preparation for Typhoon Hagupit; fears about repeat of devastation left by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 have prompted much better evacuation response. MORE

Dec. 7, 2014

Typhoon Hagupit makes landfall in Philippines, and is expected to take up to three days to move through central part of country, dumping heavy rains and raising possibility of deadly landslides; many people are evacuated amid fears that last year's devastating typhoon will be repeated. MORE

Dec. 7, 2014

Lorenzo Vinciguerra, Swiss bird-watcher being held by Abu Sayyaf rebel group for more than two years, escapes during Philippine army raid; Abu Sayyaf rebels have been conducting bombings, kidnappings and other attacks in Philippines for more than a decade, trying to establish strict Islamic state. MORE

Dec. 5, 2014

Typhoon Hagupit moves toward the Philippines, forcing port closures and stranding thousands of travelers; some local governments order evacuations. MORE

Oct. 23, 2014

Pfc Joseph Scott Pemberton, United States Marine accused in gruesome killing of Filipino woman Jennifer Laude, is placed in custody on Philippine military base; some analysts say case could have implications for two countries' military relationship. MORE

Oct. 18, 2014

Philippines militant group Abu Sayyaf releases German citizens Stefan Okonek and Henrike Dielen, who were kidnapped and held for six months; group claims a $5.6 million ransom was paid. MORE

Oct. 16, 2014

Police in Philippines file murder complaint against Pfc Joseph Scott Pemberton, an American Marine, accusing him of killing a transgender Filipino whom he met at a bar. MORE

Sep. 30, 2014

Joint military exercises between United States Navy and its Philippine counterpart kick off in Palawan, island closest to contested areas of South China Sea; exercises are being conducted amid tense dispute with China. MORE

Sep. 24, 2014

Philippine Pres Benigno S Aquino III expresses public concern about mixed messages from China amid ongoing territorial dispute over the South China Sea; describes how disputes have created tense backdrop to relations between the Philippines and China while entangling growing number of foreign parties. MORE

Sep. 24, 2014

Philippine Pres Benigno S Aquino III announces full withdrawal of his nation's forces from Golan Heights region between Israel and Syria; decision further undermines four-decade-old United Nations peacekeeping operation in area that has come under attack by Syrian insurgents. MORE

Sep. 11, 2014

Philippine Pres Benigno S Aquino III submits draft law to congress that would create a self-governed, predominantly Muslim autonomous region in country's south as part of plan to end more than four decades of fighting with rebels; opponents say agreement infringes on Philippine sovereignty, essentially creating a separate Muslim state. MORE

Aug. 23, 2014

Philippine police have arrested eight people suspected of being members of online syndicate accused of blackmailing more than 1,000 Hong Kong and Singapore residents after luring them into exposing themselves in front of a webcam. MORE

Aug. 13, 2014

Philippine military captures former Maj Gen Jovito Palparan, wanted in connection with disappearance of two students in 2006; human rights groups say case has come to symbolize country's long legacy of abductions and abuses of leftist activists by members of security forces. MORE

Aug. 6, 2014

Twelve Chinese fishermen are found guilty of illegal fishing in Philippine waters and are sentenced to 6 to 12 years in jail; convictions are first since tension between two nations flared over rival claims in South China Sea. MORE

Aug. 4, 2014

Crumbling infrastructure in Philippines is serious drain on economy and obstacle to nation's growth; 2.2 million vehicles daily on Manila's overcrowded road system costs more than $20 billion a year in lost productivity and wasted energy; Philippine economy is one of Asia's fastest growing, upwards of $250 billion. MORE

Jul. 29, 2014

Muslim rebels in southern Philippines open fire with automatic weapons on group of 50 people headed to religious celebration for holy month of Ramadan, killing at least 21 and wounding 13; government is attributing attack to violent extremist group Abu Sayyaf. MORE

Jul. 16, 2014

Powerful storm cuts through the Philippines, killing at least one person and sending more than 150,000 people into shelters; typhoon causes landslides and flooding along its path from the central Philippines to the northern peninsula of Bataan, passing just south of the capital city, Manila. MORE

Jun. 27, 2014

Pentagon says it is phasing out Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines, elite American counterterrorism unit that has been operating in Philippines since just after September 11, 2001, attacks; unit was formed to help train and advise Philippines in fight against Al Qaeda-linked groups; American Special Forces will continue to help Philippines on smaller scale. MORE

Jun. 17, 2014

China has been moving sand onto reefs and shoals to add several new islands to Spratly archipelago, part of effort to expand Chinese footprint in South China Sea; island-building has alarmed Vietnam, the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations that also claim sovereignty over archipelago. MORE

Jun. 12, 2014

Philippines capture Khair Mundos, top leader of a militant group who the United States says funneled money from Al Qaeda to Filipino rebels blamed for more than a decade of bombings, beheadings and kidnappings in the southern part of the country. MORE

Jun. 12, 2014

Brooklyn Nets player Andray Blatche is granted Philippine citizenship so he can play for the country's team at the World Cup. MORE

Jun. 6, 2014

Pres Benigno S Aquino III of the Philippines says China is moving ships around disputed reefs in South China Sea that could be used to reclaim land and help build structures; Philippines has filed a diplomatic note protesting China's activities on the Johnson South Reef, which China claims is its territory. MORE

May. 31, 2014

Malaysian Prime Min Najib Razak says that Chinese tourist and Filipino worker have been rescued nearly two months after they were abducted from a resort off Borneo. MORE

May. 27, 2014

Andray Blatche, reserve center for Brooklyn Nets, is on the verge of becoming a Filipino citizen and a member of the Philippines' national basketball team; Blatche answered an invitation seeking NBA players willing to represent the country at the FIBA World Cup in August and September in Spain. MORE

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Complaints were raised after the Internet giant dropped Scarborough Shoal, a longstanding name taken from a ship that smashed against it in 1784, and described the island as part of China’s Zhongsha chain.